Hednesford Town v Tamworth
Hednesford Town
2-3
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Tamworth
Match Report
Matchday 49:
The Lambs entered the last week of the 2021-22 season with a local trip to Keys Park to take the Pitmen on, on their own turf. Hednesford had defeated Biggleswade 2-0 away from home at the weekend, while The Lambs had extended their unbeaten run to 11 games with a near final minute winner against Redditch United.
Andy Peaks made three changes to the side that ran out in the April sunshine 48 hours previously as Lucas Yeomans, Jordan Clement and Dexter Walters made way for Cameron Howkins, Jack Concannon and Shaquille Whittingham in the starting eleven.
Tamworth got the game underway and from miskicked goal kick on 2 Beswick fired wide form distance.
Beswick loaded a freekick from the right and Hurst got his head onto it past the far post but could only see it come back off the cross bar. Beswick then picked up the ball and found Basey with his on target strike.
A long throw by Hurst was met by Bailey right footed and forced Basey into a low stop by his near post and from the corner Beswick found the former Pitman but his header went off target.
Tamworth battled to pick the bal out of midfield on 20 and forced the Pitmen into a foul on Mussa which Beswick struck from 35 yards but it came to nothing, however a deep ball by Wilder on 25 was headed past their own keeper by the home defence but neither Concannon now Creaney could get there before the keeper could save his teammates blushes.
O’Sullivan whipped the ball into the box from the left on 26 and Wilder managed to get to it to disrupt Hednesford but a cross from Bennett found the head of Lita who someone failed to hit the target or test Singh.
Howkins found Concannon via Creaney on 28.with a long ball down the left and the number 7 struck for goal and it went just wide of the far post.
A Beswick freekick caused problems with Creaney heading down for Bailey but a foul halted play.
O’Sullivan got the better of Hurst on 34 but could only find Singh with his low cross and at the other end on 39 McKeown found Wilder and Beswick who struck at Basey from the left of the area.
But the home side took the lead on 42 through Lita who picked up the ball on the edge of the area on the right and struck past Singh inside the near post (1-0, 42 mins) and it meant The Lambs went in to the dressing room a goal down after one minute added time was completed.
HT 0-1
The Pitmen restarted proceedings with The Lambs now attacking the away end of Keys Park but the first chance of the half fell to the home sie when Lita was brought down outside the box by Howkins but the freekick came to nothing.
However, on 51 Lita forced Singh to a stop at his near post.
But Tamworth responded almost perfectly, first via a long range strike from Mussa levelled the tie and lifted the roof on the away end (1-1, 52 mins)
And then Tahra added his second goal in as many games, coming on as a substitute on 53, and striking a fantastic 35 yard curling shot into the top left corner over Basey to give The Lambs the lead (1-2, 54 mins)
The home side were back on level terms on 62 though, with substitute Cater picked up the ball on the left looped a high shot-cross from the left into the far corner over Singh (2-2, 62 mins)
McKeown was booked for a high arm when trying to advance toward goal on 66 as both sides struggled to retain possession as the minutes ticked on.
Hayden pulled Creaney back as he tried to cross the halfway line on 72 and was booked for his efforts.
A freekick from Flanagan inside the Lambs half on 75 was headed at Singh by Pitmen defender Ludford-Ison and from Singh’s clearance Tamworth forced a corner. Concannon forced Hednesford to defend his flagkick and Tahra struck for goal but it was taken by Basey.
O’Sullivan powered a shot at goal on 76 and it struck Wilder, on the floor at the time, and so earned himself a booking, which also saw Bailey go into the referee’s note book as well.
Parker replaced McKeown for the final 7 minutes and he chased Riley down to a loose ball but it was left to Howkins to head home a long Hurst throw from the left under pressure in the area on 89 off a flick on by Creaney, to restore the lead again and set up a tense finish (2-3, 89 mins)
Three minutes added time was shown at the end of the game and every Lambs player found themselves in the final third to keep The Pitmen at bay and make sure of the three points at the final whistle.
And so while Tamworth awaited news on the outcome of the to-be-decided home fixture against Biggleswade, details due on Tuesday, they celebrated the extension of the unbeaten run to a dozen games.
Hednesford Town
Basey, Hayden (Webb 82), Portman, Riley, Ludford-Ison (c.), Flanagan, Tilt (Cater 61), Parker, Lita, Bennett, O#Sullivan
Subs: Webb, Ebbutt, Cater, Smith, WIlliams
YC: Hayden 72, O’Sullivan 77
Tamworth
Singh, Hurst, Wilder, Beswick, Bailey, Howkins, Concannon, Mussa, Creaney, Whittingham (Tahra 53), McKeown (Parker 83)
Subs: Fallows, Walters, Smith
YC: McKeown 66, Bailey 77
Referee: Mr. Allsopp
Attendance: 812
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